DANISH,NORWEGIAN AND SWEDISH

Joe   Saturday, March 05, 2005, 16:32 GMT
well the relationship between sweden denmark norway iceland and finland is similar in the UK but the difference is that all the countries below are one country (the UK)

England: head of the family (father figure)
Scotland: rebillious teenager
Wales:a quiet/shy child
Northern Ireland:drunken relative
Joe   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 09:02 GMT
I would imagine that bokmal norwegian and danish are about as close as British english and american english but we have a lot of american tv here in the UK which slowly builds up our pronounciation of american english and i can speak with an american accent if i wanted to but still there are a few words that are different in british english and american english such as:

British American
path sidewalk
tap fawcett
jam jelly
jelly jello
pudding pudding (but our puddings are different to theirs)

but most of us in both countries know these differences and it generally doesnt cause any confusion
Sander   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 14:28 GMT
Frederik from norway,

=>But you can of course also look at it the other way around: How fantastic that a separate language can live on in such a small country with so good communications! <=

Yes its a miracle.

Though the frisians themselves are pessimistic about their language...

---------------------Back to the topic-------------------------------------

How would you describe the band between the scandanavian nations?

-Wich countries are the closest.
-Wich "hate /dislike" eachother the most.
-Etc.
-Etc.
Alexander   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 19:14 GMT
Fredrik if you are talking to me then im not sure. We dont really have much communication with iceland or finland it is mainly with norway and denmark im really not sure wheather we are closer to the danes or the norwegians what do you think ?
Fredrik from Norway   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 19:25 GMT
We (but especially Eastern Norwegians) have the most competetive relationship with Sweden. For example in winter sports. Naturally, we cannot have a winter sports comptetetion with Denmark!
Sander   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 19:44 GMT
No of course not...
Do the danes care for winter-sports by the way???
If not than its the same with us and the Belgians,

We LOVE ice-skating.But in Belgium they would rather show a cow shitting in the field than broadcast ice-skating.In fact the chance of being struck by lightning is greater than the chance of finding a pair of
ice-skates in a belgian home,they just don't care...
Fredrik from Norway   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 20:51 GMT
Many Danes love winter sports, so they go for winter holidays in Norway and Sweden (and Austria), because there is very little snow and mountains in Denmark. But winter sports are not at all part of Danish national culture, so I don't think they care to watch it on tv.

Skiing was spread to all of Norway as as a nation-buliding act in the late 1800s. In southwestern Norway. where I come from, old people did not know how to ski 50 years ago, because they had never skied as youths, because they did not know how and there was not enough snow. Because in southwestern Norway you have to go 1-2 hours by car up into the mountains to find lots of snow, whereas in Eastern Norway they have the snow right outside their doors.

Do the Belgians not skate because they do not have so many canals, rivers and lakes as you Dutch?
When was the last Elfstedendocht and when will the next be, do you think?
Fredrik from Norway   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 20:53 GMT
Skating has always been very popular in Norway (also Southwestern Norway), too, but nowadays many young people do not know how to skate, because the lakes are only frozen for a few days. 50 years ago the ice lasted longer and even the fjords might freeze.
Fredrik from Norway   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 21:00 GMT
There is a funny joke about skiing Danes in Norway:
Every Easter Norwegian TV has lots of warnings about the dangers of long cross-country ski trips. They show a small funny film about the typical Norwegian, who is born with skies on his legs and thinks nothing can go wrong because he is Norwegian, just like Nansen and Amundsen! So he sets off into the mountain landscape, but a storm blows up and he is very thinly clothed and has no food and no idea where he is. Luckily, he meets a Danish family on winter holiday. They have a map, good clothes and food and guides him in the right direction. Because they were Danes they has so much respect for the harsh winter conditions that they did the right thing: Brought a map, compass, good clothes, food and hot drink!
Fredrik from Norway   Sunday, March 06, 2005, 21:01 GMT
And the Norwegian had to suffer the ultimate humiliation: Being rescued in the snow by a Dane!
Alexander   Monday, March 07, 2005, 17:18 GMT
We have a similar joke in sweden
Sander   Tuesday, March 08, 2005, 15:32 GMT
=>Do the Belgians not skate because they do not have so many canals, rivers and lakes as you Dutch?
When was the last Elfstedendocht and when will the next be, do you think? <=

No they have canals enough,they just don't care...
The last "Elfstedentocht ? pffff.....I thought it was 1997...The next one? The ice has to be really thick you know I thought it had to be at least 20cm...But thanks to scandanavia we can do it on your lakes (same distance) "De alternatieve Elfstedentocht" de alternative... " " .Still not the same though.
Fredrik from Norway   Tuesday, March 08, 2005, 15:34 GMT
De alternatieve Elfstedentocht - does this really exist?
Sander   Tuesday, March 08, 2005, 18:35 GMT
Yes, ofcourse...the hold it on the frozen lake of Weissensee in Austria...
Sander   Tuesday, March 08, 2005, 18:42 GMT
So it isnt in Scandanvia.....my fault.